Search Unity

  1. Megacity Metro Demo now available. Download now.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Unity support for visionOS is now available. Learn more in our blog post.
    Dismiss Notice

Making a custom pixel animator - with 'Yframes'

Discussion in '2D' started by SirWeeble, Jun 21, 2017.

  1. SirWeeble

    SirWeeble

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2013
    Posts:
    29
    I'm working on a custom animator specifically geared toward pixel art because I'm less than satisfied with mechanim for this to say the least - mainly mechanim's inability to copy-paste, easily swap sprites, or use a 2nd parameter to get 2d animations (moving along 2 timelines with one parameter being time, the other a custom parameter)

    I've put several weeks into a custom editor extension, mainly gearing it towards my own needs, but I'm considering putting it on the asset store so I'm hoping from some input from the community. Currently, it's basically 'finished' for what I personally need out of it.

    Just to avoid having to describe it in great detail, ive got a vid on youtube.



    Right now, I've got most of mechanim's perks without using anything except custom classes and they function just like mechanim. There are parameters (bool,int,float,trigger), Events (still with unity's limit of 1 parameter, attached to the game object, void return), and transitions. Unlike unity, the transitions work on frames rather than time.

    Also unlike unity, theres the option of what I've just decided to call YFrames. It lets you have multi-layered animations (see the video) that you can swap between using a parameter. So it will let you do things like shoot while jumping or running, or aim while running, or even use the YFrame to swap armor/weapons

    Additionally, possibly my biggest gripe with unity is the inability to copy-paste a full character and just swap out sprites. Since the whole thing is self-contained, you can copy-paste the sprite, change the frames, but keep the Parameters, events, everything else.

    Something it is lacking (because i never found a spider web of animations useful) is a overview of all of your transitions like in mechanim. Instead there's just text that tells you on each animation where it is linked.

    So do you think this is worth making an asset, or do you not see the point of this? Are there any features you would add? Since the only unity component I'm using is SpriteRenderer (and only SpriteRender.sprite), pretty much everything is modifiable.
     
  2. SirWeeble

    SirWeeble

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2013
    Posts:
    29
    A small update on the animator - just added pixel binding. It lets you bind a child object's position to a specific pixel.
     
  3. BuffetOfManliness

    BuffetOfManliness

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2015
    Posts:
    1
    I've been looking for a simple solution to multi-layered animations and this looks great! You have my vote to make it an asset.
     
    SirWeeble likes this.
  4. SirWeeble

    SirWeeble

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2013
    Posts:
    29
    @BuffetOfManliness : thanks for the vote.

    Just doing some testing on this - trying out various character setups. Here's one that has legs/torso/hat as seperate objects (and pixel bound), plus y-frames animating the 'aim'/'fire'

     
  5. SirWeeble

    SirWeeble

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2013
    Posts:
    29
    Another update for the Pixel Animator - I've submitted it to the asset store so hopefully it will be availalbe soonish.

    I've got another video - this one with a more complciated charcter setup and animations. Like the one above, it is multi-part: legs, toros, and head. Each of those parts is pixel-bound as in the above example. This one uses yFrames to change the character's pants.